Guard News - The National Guard

National Guard personnel in Oregon and Montana helping wildfire battles
August 9, 2017 — SALEM, Oregon - The Oregon Army National Guard announced Tuesday that about 25 personnel continue to support the Oregon Department of Forestry with firefighting efforts at the Whitewater Fire in the... MORE

Remotely piloted MQ-9 mission adds value to joint training at Northern Strike
August 8, 2017 — ALPENA, Mich. – From July 29 through Aug. 11, northern Michigan is host to Northern Strike 17, the U.S. military's largest reserve component exercise with over 5,000 participants from the Army, Navy,... MORE

Alaska Air National Guard rescuers save downed pilot
August 7, 2017 — JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Airmen with the Alaska Air National Guard's 210th and 212th Rescue Squadrons rescued a pilot Aug. 3 after his plane crashed in the vicinity of Ptarmigan Pass... MORE

Wisconsin National Guard completes removal of flood debris
August 3, 2017 — MADISON, Wis. - Roadways in Monroe County affected by flood debris in the wake of heavy flooding last month are clear once again thanks to the efforts of engineers from the Wisconsin Army National... MORE

North Carolina Guard's Warfighter Exercise adapts to changing battlefield
August 2, 2017 — FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. - Inside a large, tan tent in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, National Guard Soldiers are hard at work; calling out information as it comes across computer screens, holding meetings,... MORE

New York's LC-130 Skibird aircrews train for polar operations
August 1, 2017 — KANGERLUSSUAQ, Greenland - Having the world's only ski-equipped LC-130 aircraft, commonly referred to as Skibirds, the New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing is able to provide the airlift... MORE

An LC-130 "Skibird" from the New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing based out of Stratton Air National Guard Base, Scotia, New York, takes off from a forward airfield known as Raven Camp near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland July 28, 2017. Raven Camp is used to train aircrews on LC-130 operations on skiways.

Clear Air Force Station opens its doors for Alaskan Natives
July 31, 2017 — EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska — The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines neighbors as one living or located near another, as in next-door neighbors or friends and neighbors, but does not define the... MORE

Kane Evan and Victor Lord, members of the Nenana Native Council, Nenana, Alaska, talk with Master Sgt. Travis Oaks, quality assurance for the 213th Space Warning Squadron, Clear Air Force Station, Alaska, during a break at the tribal relations meeting at Clear Air Force Station, Alaska, July 12, 2017. Evan and Lord, along with several other members of the Nenana Native Council, were invited to the meeting by Air Force and Air National Guard personnel in order to reestablish relations with the Alaskan Natives.

National Guard generals dedicate Craig R. McKinley Hall
July 28, 2017 — MCGHEE TYSON AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Tenn. – Hundreds of people, including the National Guard's senior leadership, past and present, gathered here under the summer sun July 27 to dedicate a lasting... MORE

Gen. Joseph Lengyel, chief of the National Guard Bureau; retired Gen. Craig R. McKinley, national chair for the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve for the Secretary of Defense; Lt. Gen. L. Scott Rice, director of the Air National Guard; and Col. Kerry Lovely, commander of the I.G. Brown Training and Education Center, cut the ribbon to Craig R. McKinley Hall, July 27, 2017, during a dedication ceremony on McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base in East Tennessee.

New York Army National Guard Future Leaders Course hones junior Soldiers' skills
July 28, 2017 — CAMP SMITH TRAINING SITE, N.Y. — Thirty-six New York Army National Guard Soldiers, picked by their commanders as potential leaders, spent two weeks honing their military skills and learning new ones... MORE

N.Y. Army National Guard Soldier, Julio Fernandez, assigned 1st Battalion, 258th Field Artillery, asks a question during a class in the Future Leader Course, on the Camp Smith Training Site, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., July 19, 2017. The course covers all the basic skills Soldiers need to be effective leaders, such as tactical movements, land navigation, marksmanship, and reacting to enemy fire.The training was part of the New York Army National Guard's Future Leaders Course, a pilot program aimed at preparing Soldiers to become NCOs.

Joint exercise bolsters effectiveness for Kentucky infantry, engineer units
July 27, 2017 — CAMP ATTERBURY, Ind. — Soldiers with the 1123rd Sapper Company joined forces with the 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry to test how well they could work together during a combined arms exercise at Camp... MORE

Soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry and 1123rd Engineer Company conduct a combined arms air assault exercise at Camp Atterbury, Ind., July 18, 2017.

Nevada's High Rollers deploy for first MAFFS mission
July 27, 2017 — FRESNO, Calif. - More than a year after being named the newest military C-130 unit equipped with the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System, the 152nd Airlift Wing flew its first firefighting operation... MORE

The 152nd Airlift Wing sent retardant from the Fresno Air Attack Base flightline to fire lines in the Sierra. This "after" photo of the first-ever 152nd Airlift Wing retardant drop with one of its own airplanes on July 22, 2017.

New York National Guard troops train with Australian counterparts in Talisman Sabre 17
July 26, 2017 — SHOALWATER BAY, Queensland, Australia—Eight hundred New York Army National Guard Soldiers became part of an Australian Army Brigade during three weeks of training "down under" during a massive... MORE

Sgt. Anthony Coppola, an assistant team leader assigned to Charlie Troop, 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry Regiment of the New York Army National Guard, stands guard at an observation post at Shoalwater Bay, Queensland, Australia, during exercise Talisman Saber, July 14, 2017. He is wearing a mix of Australian and American uniform items because of the unit's role as opposing force. Soldiers from the battalion were in Australia participating in a series of exercises alongside Australian and New Zealand Forces.

Alaska Air National Guard repairs Latvian children’s facility during annual training
July 26, 2017 — RIGA, Latvia - Thirty-six Alaska Air Guard members from the 176th Civil Engineer Squadron and support units are repairing a children's rehabilitation center here for the next two weeks as part of a... MORE

Staff Sgt. Justin Ming, an electrician with the 176th Civil Engineer Squadron, discusses renovation plans with his team in Latvia on July 25, 2017, at a children’s rehabilitation center. Thirty-six Alaska Air Guard members from the 176th CES and support units spent their two-week annual training as part of a humanitarian-civic assistance (HCA) project working alongside Latvian military and contractors to upgrade the aging building.

Fort Indiantown Gap hosts inaugural Air Assault Course
July 24, 2017 — FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – More than 200 National Guard members participated in the first Air Assault Course offered at Fort Indiantown Gap and facilitated by members of the Pennsylvania National... MORE

Soldiers with Fort Indiantown Gap’s inaugural Air Assault course rappel from a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter operated by pilots from the Eastern Army National Guard Aviation Training Site July 20, 2017. T

New York National Guard deploys 100 troops following tornadoes
July 21, 2017 — HAMBURG, New York – About 100 members of the New York National Guard deployed Thursday in the immediate aftermath of severe storm and tornado damage in the Western New York Town of Hamburg. New York... MORE

New York Army National Guard Sgt. Raymond Faltisco conducts initial linkup with Erie County Highway Department counterparts near Holland, New York following tornado storm damage on July 20, 2017.

Army Guard names top Soldier, NCO in 2017 Best Warrior Competition
July 21, 2017 — CAMP RIPLEY, Minn. — As heavy rains fell, 14 Soldiers battled it out at Camp Ripley in the 2017 Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition to earn the title of Army Guard Soldier and... MORE

Army Brig. Gen. Jon A. Jensen, right, commanding general of the 34th Infantry Division, awards Army Sgt. Grant Reimers, a heavy vehicle operator with the Nevada Army National Guard’s 1859th Transportation Company, top honors in the Soldier category of the 2017 Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition. Reimers beat out six other Soldiers from throughout the Army Guard to be named the Army Guard’s Soldier of the Year and will move on to compete in the Department of the Army Best Warrior Competition this fall, battling it out with Soldiers from throughout the Army to be named the Army’s Soldier and NCO of the Year. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy)

Ohio National Guard’s 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team celebrates a century of service
July 21, 2017 — COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio National Guard's 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team celebrated 100 years of service to the state and nation on Tuesday. Called "Buckeye" since its birth, the 37th has had... MORE

An M113 Armored Personnel Carrier of Company D, 1st Battalion, 148th Infantry, 37th Brigade, 38th Infantry Division moves into position during a platoon live-fire exercise at Camp Grayling Mich., July 2005.

Oklahoma Guard members to the rescue in Ukraine fire
July 20, 2017 — LVIV, Ukraine – During a routine morale, welfare and recreation trip, deployed Citizen-Soldiers of the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team found themselves in a dangerous situation that put their... MORE

An apartment building on fire in L'viv, Ukraine, on July 16, 2017. Soldiers with the Oklahoma Army National Guard’s 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, deployed to Ukraine in support of the Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine, rushed into the burning building and evacuated the third floor before firefighters arrived.

National Guard members busy fighting Western wildfires
July 20, 2017 — TUCSON, Ariz. - Arizona's wildfire season has been a tough one this year with more than a dozen fires raging throughout the state. Firefighters from the Arizona Air National Guard's 162nd Wing... MORE

Firefighters from the Arizona Air National Guard’s 162nd Wing answered a call for assistance in battling the Frye Fire near Safford, Arizona. On June 20, 2017 the 162nd Wing received an order to activate three citizen-Airmen in support of the Frye Wildland Fire incident management team’s aviation section. The Airmen’s training and expertise equipped them to assist the state and community fight the blaze.

Training the way they perform rescues at Wisconsin exercise
July 19, 2017 — VOLK FIELD AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Wis. — The skills required to perform urban search and rescue are numerous and laborious. When lives are on the line, you want to know exactly what to expect when... MORE

A U.S. Airman trains on a concrete cutting chainsaw as a REACT instructor observes at the REACT Center at Volk Field, Wis., July 17, 2017. The PATRIOT North exercise is a Domestic Operations disaster-response training exercise conducted by National Guard units working with federal, state and local emergency management agencies and first responders.

Maine Army Guard Engineers Build Communities, Readiness

Iowa Army Guard Soldiers Train at Tigerland

Idaho Guard Engineers Aid Redwood Park Restoration

Oregon Army Guard Helps Design Future Medevac Technology

Alaska Air National Guard Rescues Five Distressed Boaters